In another step toward muddying the waters of what does and does not define a suspension, the NHL Department of Player Safety chose yesterday not to enforce any supplementary discipline to the Canadiens’ Max Pacioretty.

Midway through the second period of the Rangers’ 3-0 loss Saturday night at the Bell Center, the Montreal forward crushed Blueshirts defenseman Ryan McDonagh face-first into the endboards, getting a two-minute boarding minor. McDonagh left the game with a bloodied face and did not return.

The team had no update on McDonagh’s status last night, but he was assuredly tested for a concussion.

Five minutes before the hit, McDonagh had sandwiched Pacioretty into the boards on a play that was not called for a penalty, and earlier in the game McDonagh had cut the face of former Ranger Brandon Prust with an uncalled high stick.

That provides reason to believe Pacioretty’s chasing down of McDonagh — who ranks third on the team in ice time — and leaving his feet to propel himself, elbow-first, into McDonagh’s back and head could have been retaliatory in nature.

“How high did Pacioretty jump on his hit?” coach John Tortorella said after the loss, which dropped his team to 8-7-2. “Can anybody give me an answer?”

When he pressed reporters for an over/under number, one person suggested 6 inches.

“Figures,” Tortorella said. “You’re wrong.”

Yet the public seed Tortorella planted did not grow into a fine or suspension. Pacioretty had a phone hearing yesterday afternoon, and now he laces up for the team’s next game, tonight at Ottawa.

Yet for the Rangers game tomorrow against the Jets at the Garden, it’s unknown if McDonagh will be available.

There was some partial good news, though, when the other defensive stalwart, Dan Girardi, had the X-rays on his right leg come back negative. That means there is no break of the bone, but it certainly doesn’t mean he is OK.

Girardi was defending a 5-on-3 man-advantage for the Canadiens in the waning minutes of a 3-0 game when he got in front of and blocked a rocket slap shot from P.K. Subban. Girardi immediately went to the ice and could not get up or skate off under his own power.

“It happens throughout the year [and] a lot of teams go through it,” said captain Ryan Callahan. “Obviously they’re key guys for us, but the guys we have playing are capable.”

When the team practices today at their facility in Westchester, there should be some updates on an injury list that goes deeper than just McDonagh and Girardi. Star forward Rick Nash has missed the past three games with an undisclosed injury, penalty-kill forward Darroll Powe is out indefinitely with a concussion, Arron Asham has missed two in a row with back spasms, and defenseman Michael Del Zotto has missed one with a lower-body injury.

“It’s part of the game, though, you have injuries,” Tortorella said. “You’ve got to keep on playing. What can you do?”